Football Opens Spring Practice
3/20/2018 8:05:00 PM | Football
NEW YORK— Eighty Columbia Football players returned to Robert K. Kraft Field at Lawrence A. Wien Stadium for the first of 12 spring practices on Tuesday afternoon. The Lions went through a two-hour non-pads practice in cloudy 37-degree weather conditions.
The Lions started practice off with stretching, then went to their position groups where the players executed plays and proper technique. The team went to 7-on-7 offense vs. defense drills (wide receivers vs. defensive backs) and offensive line vs. defensive line. The Lions followed with special teams plays including field goals and punt coverage. The Lions then went through an 11 on 11 scrimmage.
“Overall, we're in good shape,” Columbia Patricia and Shepard Alexander Head Coach of Football Al Bagnoli said. “We're competitive in most positions, we have enough experience in most positions that we can hit the ground running. It was a good step today. I told the team before practice that we've got to utilize each and every one of our 12 practices to get better. We're trying to find the additional depth on the varsity level from mostly the young guys. We know we have some proven guys with lots of snaps under their belt. We are trying to figure out who the next group is in line that we can elevate up and be varsity football players.”
“On offense, the key question is the quarterback,” Bagnoli said. “We'll have a heated competition through spring ball and through preseason camp until we make a determination. On defense, it's going to be our down kids, those interior kids seemed like they've been around forever, very experienced, very mature. We've got to answer that question on defense, we've got to answer the quarterback question and we've got to solidify our punter on special teams.”
Columbia's spring practice schedule is listed below. All practices are open to the public. Practice will take place at either Robert K. Kraft Field or the Bubble at Baker Indoor Practice Facility, located at Columbia's Baker Athletics Complex (corner of 218th & Broadway Avenue).
Columbia's spring football game is scheduled for Saturday, April 21 at Robert K. Kraft Field. Kickoff is at 11 a.m. ET. The program's spring cookout will be held directly following the scrimmage. Admission to the spring game is free. Columbia Football has also scheduled a Bone Marrow Drive, slated to be held on the Morningside Heights campus on Friday, April 20. More details will be released at a later date.
NUMBER CHANGES
Only one number change was made. Sophomore wide receiver Ian VanDenBerg was moved from No. 27 to No. 21.
2018 COLUMBIA FOOTBALL SPRING PRACTICE SCHEDULE
(as of March 19, 2018, practice times and dates subject to change)
Date, Date
Tuesday, March 20, Practice One, 3:00 p.m.
Friday, March 23, Practice Two, 3:45 p.m.
Sunday, March 25, Practice Three, 3:45 p.m.
Tuesday, March 27, Practice Four, 3:00 p.m.
Friday, March 30, Practice Five, 3:45 p.m.
Tuesday, April 3, Practice Six, 3:00 p.m.
Friday, April 6, Practice Seven, 3:45 p.m.
Tuesday, April 10, Practice Eight, 3:00 p.m.
Friday, April 13, Practice Nine, 3:45 p.m.
Sunday, April 15, Practice 10, 3:45 p.m.
Tuesday, April 17, Practice 11, 3:00 p.m.
Friday, April 20, Bone Marrow Day, TBA (planned for Morningside Heights campus)
Saturday, April 21, Spring Game, 11:00 a.m.; Spring Cookout, 1:00 p.m.
All practices will take place at Robert K. Kraft Field at Lawrence A. Wien Stadium or the Bubble at Baker Indoor Practice Facility (corner of 218th & Broadway Avenue in Manhattan).
📽️@ColumbiaLionsFB Head Coach Al Bagnoli on day one of 2018 spring practice; speaks about goals and expectations for 12 spring practices and the need to find the next group of Lions who can become key players...#RoarLionRoar #GoColumbiaLions pic.twitter.com/G2VugDVXBh
— Columbia Football (@ColumbiaLionsFB) March 21, 2018
8⃣0⃣@ColumbiaLionsFB players open spring practice Tuesday at Robert K. Kraft Field;
— Columbia Football (@ColumbiaLionsFB) March 21, 2018
Practice recap & upcoming schedule: https://t.co/SkizUa1Kpm#RoarLionRoar #GoColumbiaLions
📸from @ColumbiaLionsFB's first spring practice at Lawrence A. Wien Stadium!🦁🏈#RoarLionRoar #GoColumbiaLions pic.twitter.com/bDt1oGyBMs
— Columbia Football (@ColumbiaLionsFB) March 21, 2018
More 📷s from today's 1⃣st spring practice!#RoarLionRoar #GoColumbiaLions pic.twitter.com/juQHMUFj9s
— Columbia Football (@ColumbiaLionsFB) March 21, 2018
